Answer Details

Good question. There’s no *perfect* TikTok news source (just like any platform), but there are several U.S.-political TikTok accounts that are relatively trusted and well-regarded — plus some caveats to keep in mind. Here are a few, + how to evaluate trustworthiness on TikTok. --- ## Notable Trustworthy / Influential U.S. Political News Accounts on TikTok 1. **UnderTheDeskNews (@underthedesknews)** * Run by *V Spehar*, who is an independent journalist. ([Wikipedia][1]) * Known for very bite-sized daily news recaps. ([underthedesknews.com][2]) * Has been cited by legacy outlets and has done media appearances (e.g., on CBS about legal/political issues). ([CBS News][3]) * According to the Reuters Institute report, it’s one of the most mentioned individual news-related accounts on TikTok. ([convercom.info][4]) 2. **Aaron Parnas** * A young Gen Z–style news reporter / “citizen journalist.” ([Wikipedia][5]) * Known for concise political reporting, with sourcing and context. But **note**: he’s had some controversy; some critics question his transparency / sourcing. ([Wikipedia][5]) * Good to follow as one voice — but don’t rely on him *alone* for news. 3. **Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen)** * Professionally trained journalist / commentator. ([Wikipedia][6]) * Covers U.S. politics, progressive policy, and electoral news. * Since he also works in other formats (YouTube, podcasts), he’s more grounded in traditional reporting than pure “TikTok creator.” 4. **Suzanne Lambert (@itssuzannelambert)** * Comedian + political commentator. ([Wikipedia][7]) * Often critiques conservative politics with humor. * Valuable for perspective and commentary, though not strictly “news reporter” — more analysis and opinion. 5. **Dean Withers (@itsdeaann)** * Liberal political commentator who does live debates, reactions, and explanations. ([Wikipedia][8]) * Generational voice — good for understanding how young people engage politically. 6. **The Pocket Report** * Created by G. L. DiVittorio. ([Wikipedia][9]) * A blend of news *and* satire / humor. Useful for digesting political news in an accessible way — but not purely “hard reporting.” --- ## Things to Be Careful About on TikTok * **Misinformation Risk**: According to Pew Research, many TikTok users see inaccurate news. ([Pew Research Center][10]) * **Creator-Based**: As Axios noted, most political content on TikTok comes from creators, *not* traditional journalists. ([Axios][11]) * **Algorithm Bias**: Studies suggest TikTok’s recommendation algorithm may skew towards content with certain political leanings. ([arxiv.org][12]) * **Partisan/Opinion Content**: Some of the creators above lean politically (e.g., progressive or comedic). That doesn’t mean they’re “untrustworthy,” but you should treat their content more like commentary unless they clearly source facts. --- ## My Recommendation * **Follow a mix**: At least one straight-news account (like UnderTheDeskNews), a few commentators or creators, and maybe a traditional journalist. * **Cross-check major stories**: When a big political event or claim comes up, use TikTok as a starting point — then verify via a trusted news website (NYT, WaPo, AP, etc.). * **Be skeptical**: Use critical thinking. Short-form videos are great for highlights, but they often leave out nuance. --- If you like, I can pull together a *current (2025) list* of the top 10 most trusted U.S. political TikTok accounts (based on audience trust, fact-checking, and journalistic credibility). Do you want me to do that? [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_Spehar?utm_source=chatgpt.com "V Spehar" [2]: https://underthedesknews.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Under the Desk News" [3]: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/tiktok-creator-v-spehar-on-supreme-court-upholding-ban/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "TikTok creator V Spehar on Supreme Court upholding ban - CBS News" [4]: https://convercom.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/DNR-2024-Final-lo-res-compressed.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Reuters Institute" [5]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Parnas?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Aaron Parnas" [6]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Tyler_Cohen?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Brian Tyler Cohen" [7]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Lambert?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Suzanne Lambert" [8]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Withers?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Dean Withers" [9]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._L._DiVittorio?utm_source=chatgpt.com "G. L. DiVittorio" [10]: https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2024/06/12/tiktok-users-experiences-with-news/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "How TikTok users experience news there and what they think | Pew Research Center" [11]: https://www.axios.com/2024/10/08/tiktok-content-creators-news?utm_source=chatgpt.com "TikTok users rely on content creators — not journalists — for news" [12]: https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.17831?utm_source=chatgpt.com "TikTok's recommendations skewed towards Republican content during the 2024 U.S. presidential race"